The conference aims to bring together scholars from different disciplines (economy, history,
law and political science) with a threefold aim: to investigate whether and how the EIB
contributed to the economic development and integration of the European Union; to examine
the evolution of the EIB as an institution; and to explore its future prospects.

Organizers
The Robert Schuman Institute for European Affairs of the University of Luxembourg,
University of Luxembourg,
University of Padova

After World War II, international financial institutions were established to facilitate and regulate the access to global capital markets and promote reconstruction and economic growth (Clifton et al. 2014). At European level, in 1958 the European Investment Bank(EIB) was established by the Treaty of Rome to act as the financial institution of the European Economic Community (EEC), now European Union (EU). As stated in Article 130 of the Treaty, the financial intermediation activity of the EIB was intended to channel capital
so as to improve the abilities of the member states and their firms to adapt to the increased competition created by the Common Market, reducing inequalities among regions and between economic sectors, and favour development and economic integration. Today the EIB is the biggest lender and borrower among the international financial institutions and plays a leading role in long-term financing within the EU.
Despite its prominent role, the EIB has been the subject of surprisingly little research both in comparison to other regional banks but also to other EU institutions. Apart from sporadic interest previously, only over the past two decades have scholars from different disciplines
started to dedicate sustained attention to the EIB (Griffith Jones et al, 2005; Robinson, 2009; Bussière et all, 2009; Coppolaro 2010; Hanchez and Wouters, 2011; Clifton, Díaz-Fuentes, and Revuelta, 2014; Mertens and Thiemann, 2017). However, a fully-fledged body of
literature and models for evaluating the EIB, its operation, effectiveness, role and future relevance is still lacking.

The recent opening of the EIB archives, the 60th ‘birthday’ celebrations in 2018 and of its first 60 years of operation in 2019 make this an appropriate moment to make a significant contribution to progress in EIB-focused research. Our conference aims to bring together scholars from different disciplines (economy, history, law and political science) with a threefold aim: to investigate whether and how the EIB contributed to the economic development and integration of the European Union; to examine the evolution of the EIB as an institution; and to explore its future prospects.
Our goals are to understand which political, economic and institutional factors influenced the trajectory of the EIB and its policies, which events can be considered milestones and decisive turning points in this process, which personalities played a relevant role, and how
the EIB contributed to the tasks pinpointed by the Treaty of Rome. We want to identify the distinctive operational phases that have come to characterize concrete periods of the EIB’s existence and offer a periodisation of the entity`s trajectory. We also want to ascertain how
internal changes and the changes in the international economic and geopolitical context influenced the EIB, and how the EIB responded and adapted to these changes and to the changing EU institutional environment. We want to offer a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the most salient trends and changes in the EIB’s operations by looking at the patterns of loan allocations and the evolving origins of its funding sources. We also wish to look forward and to consider the EIB’s future role in a globalized, multipolar political and economic environment.

We welcome research papers in any field related to the EIB Group, including but not limited to the following topics:
- The historical origins of the Bank;
- The priorities and determinants of the EIB’s lending policy and its field of operations;
- The EIB’s funding and the borrowing policy (own funds and debt markets), and EIB resilience;
- The effect and impact of EIB operations on regional economic integration, development and economic growth;
- The financial instruments (loans, guarantees, equity participations and technical assistance
grants);
- The EIB’s business model and its evolution;
- The EIB’s decision-making and management, and the efficiency and effectiveness of its
operations;
- EU/EIB Membership development and its impact on the mandate, governance and policies of the Bank;
- Role of the member states and of the Commission and relationship with them;
- Role of and relationships with non-state actors such as central banks, private banks, local
development institutions, multilateral and regional banks, and other non-state actors, including the society (accountability, transparency, corporate social responsibility) and
checks and balances;
- Specific individuals who might be singled out for their role and influence;
- Comparative analysis with other International Financial Institutions (IFIs), multilateral and regional banks;
- Future EIB relevance in view of global transformations of political, social, economic,
technological, environmental and geopolitical nature.
For each of these topics, we aim to examine continuity as well as change. Any other topics
related to the conference theme will also be considered.

How to apply
Applicants are invited to submit an abstract (500 words) together with a brief bio to conferenceeib2019@gmail.com no later than 4 January 2019. Selected applicants will be informed by 17 January 2019 and a paper of no more than 8000 words should be sent by 12 June 2019.

Scientific Committee
Lucia Coppolaro – Associate Professor of International History – Department of Political Science, Juridical and International Studies - University of Padova
Helen Kavvadia Visiting Research Associate – Department of Political Science and International Relations – Institute of Political Science – IPSE and Robert Schumann Institute of European Affairs, University of Luxembourg
Francesco Petrini – Associate Professor of International History – Department of Political Science, Juridical and International Studies - University of Padova